Secondary pulmonary infection by Fusarium solani and Aspergillus niger during systemic steroid treatment for COVID-19: A case report

Figure 1 Chest computed tomography scan. A: A ground-glass-opacity-like consolidation is confirmed on the right side upon admission; B: Exacerbation of bilateral ground-glass-opacity-like consolidation, together with newly appeared cavitary lesions in right lung, is confirmed on the twelfth hospital day.

Figure 2 Morphological findings of sputum taken on the twelfth hospital day. A: Black and white colonies were observed on blood agar/chocolate agar; B: Microscopic findings with lactophenol cotton blue stain (200 × magnification). Growth of multicellular, banana-like macroconidium, and clavate monocellular or bicellular small-sized conidiospore, were confirmed; C: Microscopic findings with lactophenol cotton blue stain (200 × magnification). Growth of smooth colored conidiophores and conidia, among which the conidiophores were protrusions from a septate and hyphae, with conidial heads appearing radially and splitting into columns (biseriate), were confirmed.

Figure 3 Clinical course of the patient. ABPC: Ampicillin; Ag: Antigenemia; CRP: C-reactive protein; CT: Computed tomography; CMV: Cytomegalovirus; DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; MEPM: meropenem; PIPC/TAZ: piperacillin/tazobactam; P. jirovecii: Pneumocystis jirovecii; S. pneumoniae: Streptococcus pneumoniae; ST: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim; VCM: Vancomycin; VRCZ: Voriconazole; WBC: White blood cell; β-DG: β-D glucan.